National Consultant - Integration of Climate Change into Teacher Training and Learning Material
Organizational Context
UNESCO, through its Education Sector, is committed to integrating climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction (DRR) into education. This consultancy supports the integration of these critical themes into teacher training and learning materials at the national level and specifically for Punjab province. The role involves reviewing existing curricula, developing contextually relevant training manuals, and adapting teaching and learning materials to enhance teachers' capacity to address these global challenges effectively.
Job Purpose
The National Consultant will provide essential technical expertise to embed climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction (DRR) into pre-service and in-service teacher training programs nationwide, and into teaching and learning materials for Punjab province. This involves a comprehensive review and mapping of current curricula and materials, identifying key themes, competencies, and learning outcomes. The consultant will lead the development or adaptation of a competency-based, gender-responsive teacher training manual for all four provinces and create/adapt specific teaching and learning materials for Punjab. Collaboration with UNESCO, provincial education bodies, and other stakeholders is crucial for facilitating consultations, co-creation, review, and validation processes, ultimately leading to practical recommendations for institutionalizing these educational advancements.
Responsibilities
The consultant will conduct a thorough review and assessment of national teacher training programs and resources, evaluating the integration of climate change, environmental sustainability, and DRR themes against UNESCO guidelines. This includes identifying best practices, content gaps, pedagogical limitations, and capacity needs, and recommending priority themes and learning outcomes for a national teacher training manual. Concurrently, the consultant will review and assess teaching and learning materials (TLMs) in Punjab, evaluating their alignment with the provincial curriculum and UNESCO frameworks, and identifying gaps to guide the development of Punjab-specific TLMs. Key activities include developing or adapting a national teacher training manual and Punjab-specific TLMs, incorporating competency-based, learner-centered, and action-oriented approaches with attention to gender equality and inclusion. The consultant will facilitate technical consultations, co-creation workshops, and validation processes at both national and provincial levels to ensure the final outputs are contextually relevant and endorsed by stakeholders. Practical recommendations for institutionalization, capacity development, and scaling of the finalized materials will also be developed.
Work Experience
A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in the education sector is required, with specific expertise in teacher professional development, curriculum development, and teaching material pedagogy. Demonstrated experience in similar assignments, including developing and revising curricula and teaching materials in Pakistan, is essential. Strong command of global best practices in learning assessment development is also necessary.
Skills
The consultant must possess familiarity with Punjab's curriculum framework and TLMs, and the ability to collaborate effectively with national and sub-national government counterparts and international experts. Demonstrated experience in developing user-friendly, adaptable resources is crucial. Strong skills in facilitating technical discussions, consultations, and capacity-building workshops are required, along with excellent planning, organizational, and coordination abilities. The capacity to deliver results under tight deadlines and inject innovation into the work is essential. Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Urdu are mandatory.